The in-country ICS volunteers (ICVs) of the January to March placement started their journey on 12 January 2015 with a two day pre-placement training workshop at Mpatsa Lodge in Salima.
ICVs were taught about Progressio Malawi, the ICS programme, the Monitoring and Evaluation process of Progressio, Orientation on UK culture, among others.
Different roles were assigned to the volunteers, these included; Media and Visual Media, Monitoring and Evaluation, Community Liason, Learning and Team Leader. The ICVs were told to list down their expectations and fears during training and placement.
The successful training led to a one week orientation in Lilongwe at Messa’s Lodge where the UKVs journey began.
Orientation started Monday morning where we were all briefed on Language; Tumbuka and Chichewa and Malawian culture; the common practices that take place in a Malawian Community such as Childbirth and Development.
Reviewing the ICS Monitoring and Evaluation process happened on Thursday where the importance of M & E documents and processes such as the team planning tool, blogs, M & E tracking tools, KAP surveys and others were emphasized.
Shammah Chidambe, the Team leader of Team Catseye, Mzuzu described the experience as enlightening to both ICVs and UKVs as some ICVs, including himself, learnt new things about Malawian Culture and Language.
“The experience was loaded with fun and information, and it felt a bit weird to figure out that I know little about several cultures in the Malawian societies. I guess you never know what you know, until you know” said Shammah.
Good times of learning and interactions had to come to an end as the teams departed for their designated placements on Friday.
